AORN Holds Town Hall and Special Business Meeting

AORN members approved new position statements on Care of the Transgender or Gender-Diverse Patients and updates to the APRNs in the Perioperative Environment position statement during a Town Hall and Special Business Meeting on Aug. 13.

AORN President Darlene Murdock led discussions with members, who learned about and voted to approve the AORN Position Statements on:

• Care of the Transgender or Gender-Diverse Patient
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurses in the Perioperative Environment

In addition to this new position statement on Care of the Transgender or Gender-Diverse Patient, AORN nursing staff and task force members developed a tool kit on Perioperative Care of the Adult Transgender Patient. Consistent with AORN’s commitment to health equity and improving health care outcomes in this potentially misunderstood patient population, this tool kit is available to both members and non-members.

The new and updated position statements are posted here.

President Murdock and AORN CEO David Wyatt then led the members in a discussion about AORN governance, delegates and voting. Dr. Wyatt addressed common misunderstandings about AORN bylaws and member categories as they relate to AORN’s governance practices and ceremonies during AORN Congress.

Additionally, chapters will soon receive their allotment of chapter-designated delegates. Dr. Wyatt stressed that these allotments are suggestions from AORN, and are not a limit on how many members each chapter may send to Expo. Chapters are also encouraged to send/fund as many members as possible to attend AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo each year.

Please see this resource on Governance, Voting and Delegates and share with your chapters and colleagues.

President Murdock also reminded attendees of the importance of voting for their elected leaders, and expressed her excitement at seeing everyone at AORN Expo in New Orleans in April.